Do you have a Disney bucket list? Perhaps you want to ride an attraction at one of the international parks. Maybe your froglet just can’t wait to be tall enough for Space Mountain. Do you dream of meeting a special character? Leap dreams of being a Jungle Cruise skipper for a day (That's limestone, but most people take it for granite.) Or maybe your dream is simply to don a 1st Visit button on your first visit to a Disney park. Leap and I fulfilled one of my Disneyland bucket list items. We finally got to go inside the exclusive Disneyland Club 33 with some friends!
What Is Club 33?
If you are unfamiliar with this location and are wondering what is Club 33? Club 33 is a private club located above New Orleans Square in Disneyland. The only way to get in is to be a member or be an invited guest of a member. We always wondered what was behind that mysterious door. How did we land a reservation? We know some ... flies ... who are members. How frogciting it was to ring the doorbell and get to enter it for the first time!
History of Club 33
First, a little history. Walt Disney wanted a special place to entertain dignitaries in the park with a quiet and serene atmosphere. He needed superb cuisine and beautiful but distinctive décor. He, his wife and their decorator traveled to New Orleans to select antiques to furnish this special space. Named after its address on 33 Royal Street, Disneyland Club 33 offers an elegant escape from the park with both a lounge and formal dining room. Walt Disney never got the chance to dine at Club 33, but for many years, members and guests have enjoyed the results of Walt’s vision. Club 33 was renovated and expanded in 2014, bringing the grandeur Walt envisioned to life while adding the watercolor renderings of the original artist who helped him visualize it and handwritten notes from Walt regarding the décor.
Where Is Club 33 at Disneyland?
Club 33 is in New Orleans Square in Disneyland Park. If you ever exited Pirates of the Caribbean near Blue Bayou and made a left to head to Mint Julep Bar, you passed the door to Cub 33 on your left. It's across from the Pandora Jewelry store.
You ring the doorbell and enter a lobby before gaining entry to the Court of Angels. That's where you see so many people posting photos from the iconic curved staircase. (Another Iconic photo spot is the mosaic floor outside the door at the top of the staircase.) The rest of the club is all on the second floor. It weaves around the second floor over New Orleans Square. The main dining room is over Cafe Orleans. The Lounge is located over Tiana's Bayou Adventure. You can see the balconies and windows of Club 33 from below. And if you look up from below at night, you can see the chandelier of the dining room over Cafe Orleans from Rivers of America.
Where Is Club 33 at Disney World?
Disney World also has several Club 33 locations. The Club 33 Disney World locations include:
- Magic Kingdom: Located at the entrance to Adventureland, in the “Captain’s Quarters” building.
- EPCOT: Inside the American Adventure Pavilion in World Showcase.
- Hollywood Studios: In the Spotlight Lounge, behind The Hollywood Brown Derby Restaurant.
- Animal Kingdom: At Harambe House, near the Festival of the Lion King show.
The Disneyland Club 33 membership is separate from the Disney World Club 33 membership. We have not been to any Disney World Club 33 locations, but we are open to accepting invitations. You know, for research purposes. ;) Ribbit!
How Do You Get in Club 33?
Memberships are quite pricey and not easy to come by (the wait for a membership can take years), so we were literally hopping with excitement when a friend mentioned she had a membership and offered to make a reservation for us for a birthday celebration lunch. While they do have a children’s menu, we opted to visit without the tadpoles. As the four-course lunch ran $139 per adult (plus, drinks, tax and tip), it was a wise financial decision for us to leave the tadpoles with Grandma Frog.
You can’t just waltz into Disneyland Club 33. You need a reservation. We rang the bell and presented our name. They opened the door and greeted us in the lobby, checked our reservation, and then invited us to wait in the courtyard while we enjoyed a seasonal drink. Then we took an elevator ride to the second floor, but you can also walk up the iconic staircase.
Who Can Visit the Club 33 Lounge?
There is a lounge that is reserved for members only or members who have guests with them. It oozes with Disney magic, and surreal blue and green lighting. There are cozy booths, magical paintings and instruments that move to the music. The original elevator is in there as well (as a seating option). We were lucky to get a brief tour of the lounge by a kindhearted Cast Member before dining in the actual elegant dining room, where guests do not have to be accompanied by the member who reserved their meal. Its windows and balconies overlook the Rivers of America and streets of New Orleans. It is light and bright, filled with paintings, sketches, chandeliers and antiques. It may be fancy but is also comfortable at the same time.
We have yet to eat here. But we hear that the burger is the best food on property! We sure hope to judge that for ourselves someday! 
What Is 1901?
There is actually a second Club 33 lounge at Disneyland Resort. It's in Disney California Adventure. You can find its door to the right of the Carthay Circle main doors. Like the Club 33 Lounge at Disneyland, you can only visit this hidden lounge with a member. What luck! We've been inside this lounge!
We were not permitted to take photos or video, so all we have are hoppy memories. That lounge has kind of a library feel with couches and chairs with coffee tables and end tables. There's a ton of memorabilia and Disney Easter eggs throughout. There's a wall where Walt's shadow passes by. And we saw a magical photo of Walt sketching Mickey that springs to life! The menu is very similar to the Carthay Circle Alfresco dining menu. We did get a yummy custom drink from the bartender.
What Is the Dining Room Menu at Club 33?
Le Grand Salon at Club 33 has a seasonal menu that changes all the time to take advantage of the freshest produce and ingredients of the season. It's a four-course meal with bread, a first course, a second course, an entree and the finale — dessert. Club 33 also has many delicious cocktails, beers and wines. For lunch the meal is $135 plus tip and tax and is $230 with wine pairing.
Every bite of food was delicious. The service was spectacular. As it was my birthday, there was a card on the table, signed by the staff.
As we were leaving, we were showered with attention in the lobby by Sally Slater, a ghost from the Haunted Mansion. The actual characters can vary. It was fun to have the characters all to ourselves for a few minutes.
Leap was beside himself after a visit to the nicest restrooms in the park. The men’s room had a high tank, pull chain toilet that was an actual Crapper. This made his day. The ladies room offered more modern toilets, but it did offer a nice chaise and dressing table as well.
How Long Does It Take to Dine at Club 33?
You need to budget a chuck of time out of your theme park day to dine at Club 33. You can easily spend three to four hours dining in the main dining room. You'll want time to explore, shop, meet characters, enjoy all your courses and make a trip to the fanciest restrooms on property. You'll want to take photos. So if you find yourself with the hopportunity to go, you should schedule it for a time that does not conflict with other plans in the park.
What Are the Rules of Club 33 and Dress Code?
You'll get all the rules in your confirmation email. First of all, there is a dress code for Le Grande Salon. For the lunch dress code, you must wear smart casual attire. No undershorts, torn jeans, cut-offs, swimsuits, bare midriffs or exposed undergarments. No beachwear or athletic wear. Shoes must be well maintained, closed toe or leather sandals. No flip flops. Children also must follow the dress code, and people are asked to remove their hats.
Dinner is a little stricter. The dinner (after 4:30 p.m.) attire is business casual. No sneakers. You can wear dresses and closed-toe shoes (but open-toe high heels are fine). Wear a tucked-in, button-down shirt with slacks or dark-colored denim jeans. You can get by with a t-shirt with a blazer and slacks or dark-colored denim jeans.
Dressing up is part of the fun. But keep in mind that you are walking through a theme park. We frogs wear sneakers to the park and then stash them in a locker to change into our Club 33 shoes. Then we change back after our meal.
Videotaping anywhere is prohibited at Club 33. That includes the balcony. You may not take photos in the restrooms. Photography of celebrity guests is prohibited. You are not to bother other guests.
And finally, be sure to sign the guest book. It's not a rule, but you simply must do it!
Can You Buy Merchandise at Club 33?
Yes! You can bring home a Club 33 souvenir. In the upstairs reception area, there are some cases with merchandise. Some is member exclusive, and some is for anybody lucky enough to get in. You can choose from ears, ornaments, clothing items, jewelry, hats and MagicBands, among other things.
What Are the Other Fine Dining Options at Disneyland?
Chances are that you are not going to get an opportunity to dine at Disneyland Club 33 — you know how to reach your favorite frog if you do get an invite — but if you are looking for fine dining, there are other high-end, table-service choices you CAN visit to get a special dining experience at the Disneyland Resort. For an in-park luxury dining experience, make a reservation through Disney Dining Reservations for Carthay Circle in California Adventure. It is rich in elegance and Disney theater history. Napa Rose at Disney's Grand Californian offers well-prepared food and a fine-dining atmosphere.
21 Royal
There is another exclusive and private dining opportunity at Disneyland. Right above Pirates of the Caribbean is 21 Royal. You need no membership. Anyone with the funds (the price for the party is $15,000, and tip is included) and a group of up to 12 can choose to dine here.
You and your guests will arrive at the Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Once your entire party has assembled, you will be given a VIP escort to 21 Royal in the park, where you will be welcomed by the 21 Royal staff.
Start off with signature cocktails served by butlers in the salon. Then everyone is invited out to the patio for a casual reception. You and your guests will also have time to explore the different rooms — and discover some of their more magical features. (This was the Dream Suite in the second Year of a Million Dreams.)
For dinner, you and your guests sit at a lavish table covered in white linens, fresh flowers and set with gold-plated dinnerware and fine crystal. A fascinating tale unfolds told through seven courses of fine food and drink, making for a unique and truly magical fine dining experience.
In true Disney fashion, you can end your evening with a grand finale — dessert on the private balcony, with a spectacular view of the Rivers of America. On certain nights, you'll have prime viewing of the park’s nighttime entertainment (Fantasmic! and fireworks if they are shown that night.)
It was exciting for us to enter a unique part of the park that we had never laid eyes on and that was gilded with Disney history. Bucket list item fulfilled: Check. May you fulfill your Disney wishes, whatever they may be!
Have you dined inside the exclusive Disneyland Club 33? Is visiting this elegant restaurant on your Disney Bucket list? Let us know in the comments below. Have you dined inside the exclusive Disneyland Club 33? Is visiting this elegant restaurant on your Disney Bucket list? Let us know in the comments below.
Related: The Ins and Outs of Disneyland Dining Reservations
Related: Our Guide to Fine Dining at Disneyland
Hoppy planning!
